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Creamy Chicken Cheesy Mash Bowl

Recipe by The Cozy Bowl Kitchen

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  • Total Time35 minutes
  • Yield2 generous bowls 1x

Silky cheesy mash topped with a rich, creamy garlic chicken sauce, red onion and fresh coriander. A one-bowl hug of a dinner that takes 35 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cheesy mash

  • 1kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 75g salted butter
  • 100ml whole milk, warmed
  • 100g mature cheddar, grated
  • 50g cream cheese
  • Salt and white pepper

For the creamy chicken

  • 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 150ml double cream
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 30g parmesan, finely grated

To finish

  • 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
  • A handful of coriander leaves
  • 2 spring onions, sliced
  • A pinch of chilli flakes

Instructions

  1. Put the potatoes into cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until completely tender.
  2. While they cook, toss the chicken with the smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano and a good pinch of salt.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Brown the chicken in a single layer for 4 to 5 minutes, until it has real colour on it, then lift out onto a plate. Colour is flavour, so do not stir it too early.
  4. Turn the heat down, add the onion to the same pan and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and tomato puree and cook for another minute.
  5. Pour in the stock, scraping up everything stuck to the bottom of the pan, and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
  6. Stir in the cream, Dijon and parmesan, then return the chicken and any resting juices to the pan. Simmer gently for 5 to 6 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and the chicken is cooked through.
  7. Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry in the colander for 2 minutes.
  8. Mash until smooth, then beat in the butter, warm milk, cream cheese and cheddar. Season well with salt and white pepper.
  9. Spoon the mash into two wide bowls and push a well into the centre with the back of a spoon.
  10. Ladle the creamy chicken into the well and finish with red onion, coriander, spring onions and a pinch of chilli flakes.

Notes

Thigh over breast. Chicken thigh stays juicy through browning and simmering and costs less. If you only have breast, cut it larger and add it back to the sauce for the last three minutes only.

The mistake to avoid. Crowding the pan when you brown the chicken. It releases water, boils instead of browning, and you lose the colour that gives the sauce its depth. Two batches if your pan is small.

How to tell the sauce is ready. Drag a spoon through it. If the line stays clean for a second before closing over, it is done.

Rich beef version. This is the other Tummy Hug option. Use 500g beef mince, brown it hard, then build the same sauce with beef stock and a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, leaving out the parmesan.

Make ahead. Both parts can be made a day in advance. Cool quickly, chill within two hours and reheat gently until piping hot, in line with standard UK food safety guidance. Add the raw red onion, coriander and chilli flakes fresh at the end.

Equipment. A large saucepan for the potatoes, a wide frying pan for the chicken and sauce, a potato ricer or hand masher, a box grater, and two deep bowls warmed before serving.

Allergens. This recipe contains milk and mustard. Stock cubes and liquid stocks often contain celery, and some contain wheat (gluten). Parmesan is made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian hard cheese if that matters to you. Always check the label of every ingredient you use, as recipes and allergen information can change. People with food allergies or intolerances must also consider cross-contamination.

This is a home recipe inspired by Tummy Hug at The Cozy Bowl. It is not the restaurant’s exact commercial recipe.

Find it online: https://thecozybowl.co.uk/creamy-chicken-cheesy-mash-bowl/